kermes

At 03:58 PM 8/13/2005, you wrote:
>The kermes you refer to is a louse. But in Danish the pokeweed that is
>native to the southern states is called kermesbær (kermes berry) and was
>used as fruit colors up to about 1900. After the Civil war, poor people
>used the pokeweed berries to make red ink, as they had no ink.
>
>(Also too much knowledge. The pokeweed grows beautifully here in Denmark.)
In a few weeks my car will be painted pokeweed red courtesy of the birds. LOL.
Dennis in Cincinnati where the pokeweed grows thick!